PLA Constant clogs (hot tip)

Hi,

I'm new to 3D printing (about 3 months) and ive build my own p3steel, everything is working fine by now, i can print abs with no problems but when it comes to PLA things get weird... Ive been playing with temperatures, speeds, accelerations... at the moment nothing makes sense... I could for some time print without problems but clogs keep coming back (i cannot trust my printer... )

Currently i was trying to print at 210ºC at a 25mm/s speed (looking for good definition, trying to print slowly... 30mm/s wobles too much), but i keep getting a clog, as if heat was rising through the tip and making it too hot so it clogs... (just the tip, not the heated block) i can solve this clog by pulling out the filament, cutting the tip and putting it back, its solved maybe for some layers but it will clog again. Then i rised the temp to 220ºC , but the problem is still there.

I think im going crazy with temperature/speed ratio.... should i go slower and cooler? faster (i cant, it wobbles!) and hotter? i've tried at 200ºC (only once i think..) and the hot tip clog also happened....

Im working on the mechanics to make the printer more stable to print at faster speeds, but i would like to be able to print at slow speeds... help please!

Also, ive been trying different PLA's, this last one im using is ColorFabb PLA/PHA, good quality... its not the PLA, i keep getting the hot tip clog.

What sort of hot-end do you have? Does it have a fan blowing constantly over the cooling fins?

E3D V6, should've said that... xD with its cooling fan, and i have also 2 40mm fans to cool the pla...

the heat is not creeping up too much, just the tip... not a cooling problem but a too much plastic so it heats up in the tip.... i think.... but i push temp down to 200 and i keep having the same problem.... :/

Well, you might find this web page useful, if you haven't seen it before:

E3D troubleshooting

thanks, i've already been through that page...

Its an extrusion rate problem i think... Looks like im pushing too slow a too hot so the heat creeps up the filament just enough to clog the tip of the hot end...

What temperatures are u guys using at 20-25mm/s? Just to have a starting point.... :/

Try taking the temperature down some more... I print PLA at 190.

Also check your retraction settings, E3D hotends don't like much retraction.

thanks, im finally at 200ºC adjusting my retracts... thing now make sense..! Thanks!